Valved dispenser



p 1957 G. T. WRENN, JR 2,807,391

VALVED DISPENSER Filed May 18, 1955 ZPvw-Wrae i l L scones rwnsmu JR.

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United States Pmmfo VALVED DISPENSER George T. Wrenn, Jr., Portsmouth,Va., assignor to Virginia Smelting Company, West Norfolk, Va., acorporation of Maine Application May 18,1955, SerialNo. 509,295

7 Claims. (Cl. 222) The present invention relates to dispensing valvesand more particularly to a valved release mechanism for pressurizedgases held within can-like containers.

Fumigants, aerosol insecticides, inert propellants, refrigerants andliquefied hydrocarbon fuels are but a few of the pressurized gases nowcommercially available. The heavy walled cylinder of large volume isstill in favor where large quantities of material are being utilizedregularly. At the same time, however, there is a growing demand for thecan-type container of small capacity in which many pressurized gases canbe charged and held without trouble. Automatic loading equipment isavailableto fill cans with unit charges of liquefied gas and applysealing caps thereto. These smaller can-type containers are inexpensiveand yet they pass all of the I. C. C. specifications with regard to thepackaging of inflammable substances.

The subsequent handling of the charged, sealed containers has occasionedsome difficulties, particularly in the release or controlled dispensingof the contents thereof. While the cans may be refrigerated to insurethe gaseous contents to be in liquid state for transfer to a suitabledispenser such procedure is not practicable in most instances. It isalso possible to provide each can with a dispensing valve but :amodification of this type would make the container much more expensiveto manufacture and would also create apotential point of weaknesstherein.

Briefly stated, the presentinvention contemplates a dispensing valvewhich is readily secured to the topcap seal of a can-type container ofpressurized gas and placed in communication with the interior of saidcontainer by means of a self-contained tubular cutter adapted topenetrate the top cap seal while establishing a sealed engagementtherewith.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a dispensing valve whichwill enable the expeditious handling of pressurized gases in sealedcan-type containers.

A second object of the invention is the provision of a dispensing valvewhich embodies an opening cutter designed for fluid tight penetration ofthe top cap seal of a can-type container for pressurized gas.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensingvalve which can be readily attached to and removed from can-typecontainers for pressurized gas and which enables a complete control ofthe rate of discharge of the contents of said containers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing valvewhich has clamping means enabling retentive attachment to variouslysized top cap seals of can-type containers for pressurized gas.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a dispensing valve embodying theprinciples of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the dispensing valve 2 in positionto open a can-type container of pressurized gas Turning to the drawing,the dispenser valve 1 comprises abody 2- of forged or cast metal whichis substantially of T-sliape having outwardly projecting, opposed arms 3and 4 and a lateral extension or leg 5 intermediate thereof, said armsand leg containing axial passages 6, 7, and 8- extending inwardlythereof and joining centrally of the body 2.

The dimensions of the body 2, are of no particular significance and maybe varied as desired or required to facilitate production thereof.Norm-ally, however, arm 3 is shorter than arm 4 while leg or conduit 5is longer than either arm 3' or 4 in order to provide clearance formounting and use of the device. Ordinarily the diameter of the passage 6will be greater than that of the passage S for free flow of fluidstherethrough while the passage 7 is of still larger diameter and inaddition extends beyond the center line of the leg 5.

p The arm 3 isthreaded internally to receive a valve stem 9, threadedalong an intermediate portion of its length for engagement therewith.The stem 9 carries at its outer extremity a handle 10 suitably securedthereto, and extends inwardly of the arm 3 through the passage 7 adistance sufiicient to engage a seat 11 formed at the inner terminal ofthe passage 6, at its juncture with passage 7 and to effect a closure ofsaid passage 6. The seat 11 is preferably provided with a conventionalplastic wear insert. The valve stem 9 is sealed at its outer end by apacking washer or gland (not shown) maintained in position at the end ofthe arm 3 by a packing nut 12,

secured upon an exteriorly threaded portion 13 of the arm 3.

The arm 4 is provided with a threaded boss 14 having a chamfered face 15to which a suitable delivery tube or spray nozzle (not shown) may beconnected.

The leg 5 carries a hardened steel tubular cutter 18 secured inwardly ofthe passage 8 with a portion of said cutter projecting beyond the end ofthe leg 5. A composition gasket 20 of a suitable material such as aplasticized synthetic resin or rubber surroundsthe leading end of thecutter 18 and is seated in a suitable chamber 21 provided in the extremeend of the leg 5. While the inner diameter of the tubular cutter may besomewhat less than that of the passage 8 said cutter does not block thatpassage against the free flow of fluids therethrough.

The leg 5 is also threaded exteriorly as at 22 for a considerabledistance along its length and a clamping collar 23 is mounted thereonfor rotatable movement along said threaded portion 22. The collar oranchor 23 is provided with a plurality of projecting fingers 24, the

. ends of which turn back upon themselves to form hooklike members. Atleast two of the projecting fingers are substantially diametricallyopposed while a third finger is positioned between them, leavingslightly more than one half of the periphery of the collar free ofobstruction. This arrangement of the fingers 24 and their slightinherent resilience permits the collar to be fitted onto the neck of acan 26 of pressurized gas. The can 26 is sealed with a metal top capseal 27 which has a rolled rim 28 adapted to fit over the neck rim ofthe can 26 and to be sealed thereto in the conventional manner.

After the collar 23 is attached to the can 26 and correctly aligned overthe cap 27, the valve per se is rotated and the leg 5 advanced towardsthe cap. This ad vance causes the gasket 20 to be forced against the cap27 and compressed as the cutter 18 continues to move downwardly andfinally to cut a small hole in the cap 27 establishing communicationwith the contents of the can. The gasket 20 produces a fluid tightperipheral seal for the cutter 18 and prevents loss of pressurized gasat the point of penetration of the cap 27. The valve stem 9 may beretracted by rotation thereof and the pressurized gas discharged throughthe passage 6. After the cantype container 26 has beenemptied, reverserotation of the valve body 2 raises it from engagement therewith. Thecollar 23 can then he removred from the can and placed upon a new filledcan. Since there has been a reasonable standardization in can neck'sizes, the same collar will fit cans of difierent capacities.Additionally, however, collars of ditlerentdiameters for cans havingnecks of different sizes may be used interchangably with a standarddispensing valve body. e

In some instances where, it is desired to combine dif ferent gases andliquids, for simultaneous delivery of a mixed product, the dischargeends 4 of a plurality of valve bodies 2 may be securerlin any suitablefashion in spaced relation along a common header provided with a unitarydischarge orifice. Under such arrangement, theamounts of different gasesreleased from individual cans 26 may be controlled by adjustment of theseveral valve elements therefor and/or a larger total volume of gas maybe dispensed in a single operation without an interruption in feed.

Other modifications in the form of the component elements of myapparatus, their composition and arrangement are, of course, possiblewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a high pressure fluid container having one ormore exposed and sealed ends, a dispenser assembly including: a fluiddispensing conduit having intake and exhaust extremities and an anchormember peripherally engaging a sealed end of the container interlockingthe conduit and container, said conduit including gasket means seatedwithin the intake extremity for sealing compression on a sealed end ofthe container and a rigid tubular cutter mounted in extension of theintake end of said conduit, said cutter being encompassed by said gasketproximate the exposed end of said cutter, and conduit reciprocatingmeans joining conduit and anchor to progressively move the conduitagainst the container to effect complementary simultaneous cutting andsealing into the interior of the container in dispensing.

2. In combination with a high pressure fluid container having at leastone sealed cap end, a fluid dispensing conduit having intake and exhaustextremities and an anchor member slidably engageable with the peripheryot the cap end of the container adjustably interlocking the conduit andcontainer, said conduit including com- 2,807,391 r M A p pressiblegasket means seated concentrically within the conduit at its intakeextremity and a tubular cutter mounted in operable connection with theintake end of said conduit and in extension thereof, said cutter beingintimately encompassed by said gasket up to a cutting extremity of thecutter, the conduit and anchor being threadedly connected forcounter-action whereby upon rotation of the conduit the anchor is morefirmly seated upon the cap as the cutter is moved into the interior ofthe container compressing the gasket for sealed dispensing of the fluid.

3. A dispenser-adapter for compressed fluids which are contained withinexternally cap sealed can-type containers comprising clamping meansslidably engageable with a container-cap periphery, a fluid conduitengaging the clamping means in friction locking reciprocal contact,tubular cutting means rigidly disposed concentrically within theinterior of said conduit and in extension thereof, and compressiblegasket means intimately encompassing the cutter and abutting the conduitwhereby upon reciprocation of the conduit the clamp is forcibly anchoredto the container while the cap seal is simultaneously cut for sealedconduction of compressed fluids from the container.

4. The device according to claim 3, said cutting means including atruncated conical cutting end extending beyond an exposed end of thegasket.

5. The device according to claim 3, in which the conduit is in threadedcontact with the clamping means.

6. The device according to claim 5 in which the clamping means comprisesat least two opposed inwardly curved flanges engageable with containercap periphery.

7. A valved dispenser as defined in claim 3, in which the collarmounting is provided with a plurality of projecting fingers forengagement with said cap seal, two of said fingers being substantiallydiametrically opposed and a third finger is positioned between them forproper indexing between the collar and said top cap seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS465,049 Putter Dec. 15, 1891 1,324,206 Nickcll Dec. 9, 1919 1,995,098Healy Mar. 19, 1935 2,091,737 Longway Aug. 31, 1937 2,373,373 Berg Apr.10, 1945 2,694,506 Knapp Nov. 16, 1954

